Congratulations to the winners of the Marty Ward Memorial Merit Awards and the Donna Conway Memorial Award for 2024!

Garden Club of Cape Coral Merit Scholarship Awards

The application process for the Garden Club of Cape Coral Merit Scholarship Awards is now closed. The application process for 2025 Merit Awards will reopen in January 2025.

Brief History of the Awards: Awards are provided every year by the Garden Club in honor of Marty Ward and Donna Conway.

Marty Ward was passionate about gardening and was active in many different garden clubs for more than 50 years. She co-founded the Garden Club of Cape Coral, and served as: a Director on the Board of the Fort Myers-Lee County Garden Council; an active accredited National Garden Club Flower Show Judge; and an active Florida Federation of Garden Clubs Floral Design Instructor. For the Garden Club of Cape Coral, she: held many offices; served on many committees; became the Senior Advisor on horticulture; encouraged member participation in flower shows; and instructed members in floral design. She was also a proponent of these scholarships.

Donna Conway was a long-time member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral. As Chair of the Club’s Ways and Means Committee from 2008 – 2010, the annual March in the Park plant sale and festival was her creation; and it is used to raise funds for these scholarships and for several other community gardening activities. Donna worked diligently to make this activity a success, not only organizing the Club to get it going, but working with the City of Cape Coral to find a venue for it and obtain permits. She was strongly supportive of students who are committed to preserving the environment and who have shown that type of commitment during their high-school years. The funding for one of the scholarships is provided by Donna’s family at her request and continues for ten years beginning in 2020.

Purpose of Scholarships: Annually, the Garden Club of Cape Coral awards scholarships to assist worthy graduating high school seniors, who plan to obtain college degrees, and who have demonstrated an interest in areas such as horticulture, environmental studies or sustainability, agriculture, biology/botany, natural resources, conservation and/or hydrology. The interest should be demonstrated through their studies, extracurricular activities, and/or employment during their years in High School and/or Middle School.

Award Details: Awards of up to $1,250 to each winner are presented at the GCCC evening meeting in April. Winners must be present to receive their awards. Each award is contingent on acceptance and enrollment at an accredited institution of higher learning. Awards are not based on financial need. Larger awards may be provided to applicants who plan to pursue careers compatible with the purpose of these scholarships.

Eligibility: Applicant must

1. Be a Cape Coral resident
2. Be a high school senior
3. Demonstrate an active and ongoing interest and participation in horticultural and/or environmental issues. This includes classroom and extracurricular activities such as work and volunteer experience.
4. Have a goal related to the purpose of the scholarships

Timetable:

1. The Application process for the Merit Awards is now closed. The application process for 2025 Merit Awards will reopen in January 2025.

Judging of Applications: Members of the GCCC Merit Awards Committee award points in five categories to each application. These points will be the basis for the scholarship awards:

1. Personal Recommendations – 20%
2. Extracurricular/Work Activities – 20%
3. All High School Classes – 15%
4. College and Career Goals – 15%
5. Personal Statement – 30%

PREVIOUS YEARS WINNERS

Congratulations to the winners of the Marty Ward Memorial Merit Awards and the Donna Conway Memorial Award for 2023!
Read the full details in the Merit Award Winners 2023 Press Release.

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Congratulations to the winners of the Marty Ward Memorial Merit Awards and the Donna Conway Memorial Award for 2022!
Read the full details in the Merit Award Winners Press Release.

2021 Marty Ward Memorial Merit Awards and the Donna Conway Memorial Award Winners



Read the full details in the Merit Award Winners Press Release.

2020 Marty Ward Memorial Merit Award Winners